Current computing devices can include functionality to communicate with each other via wireless communication signals. For example, many computing devices are enabled to send and receive wireless communication signals using wireless technology standards such as Bluetooth®. Wireless communication signals sent between computing devices can include data identifying the transmitting computing device, such as a unique device identifier assigned to the transmitting computing device, as well as other desired data for transfer, such as data defining specific commands, streamed content, etc.
In addition to transmitting data between computing devices, wireless communication signals can also be used to determine the geographic distance between computing devices. For example, a received signal strength indicating the strength of a wireless communication signal received by a receiving computing device can be used to estimate the distance between the receiving computing device and a transmitting computing device that transmitted the wireless communication signal. A weak received signal strength can indicate a relatively longer geographic distance between the transmitting and receiving computing devices, whereas a strong received signal strength can indicate a relatively shorter geographic distance between the transmitting and receiving computing devices.
Current technologies utilize signal strength to help users locate a target computing device. For example, a receiving computing device can notify the user as to whether the wireless communication signal received from a target computing device is getting stronger or weaker as the user changes geographic location. A user can use the changes in signal strength to determine the location of the target computing device. While this provides the user with some guidance regarding the location of the target computing device, the user is still required to determine the location through trial and error by moving in multiple directions and viewing the resulting change in signal strength.
Other technologies attempt to provide a precise location of a target computing device using triangulation. For example, the signal strength of wireless communication signals received by three or more computing devices from the target computing device can be used to triangulate the location of the target computing device. While these types of systems can provide a much more precise location for the target computing device, they require simultaneous signal readings from multiple computing devices. Accordingly, the data required to utilize this technique likely will not be available to a user that does not have a network of multiple computing devices within an appropriate proximity of the target computing device.